SPAWN STORMS THROUGH IRAQ ...Attached to the Front of a Marine HummerMonday, August 11, 2003

The Hellspawn knows war. Mostly on a Heaven and Hell basis, but he now has some firsthand experience in an Earthly conflict, courtesy of Major Steven D. Weintraub of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Weintraub, commanding officer of Bulk Fuel Co. C, 6th ESB, 4th FSSG, took a Spawn the Bloodaxe (from Series 22: The Viking Age) with him to Iraq for a tour of duty.

Before being activated, Weintraub saw the figure in a mall toy store and commented how good he thought it would look on the front of his Hummer. His wife bought the figure for him as a Christmas present to take with him overseas.

Once in country, Weintraub mounted the Spawn figure to the front of his vehicle and it stayed for his entire tour, racking up thousands of miles of hard use in southern Iraq.

"You should have seen the looks he was drawing all over the country, especially when we would pull up to check points at night," Weintraub said. "You could read the guards' lips at their expressions, not to mention the locals. We affectionately named my vehicle Spawn."

The Major said he missed his vehicle -- except for that whole lack of air conditioning thing -- but he doesn't miss the Hellspawn. That's because Bloodaxe survived the journey and returned home in one piece.

Semper fi, yourself, Major. Thanks for your service and for getting our figure home safely.